First, some good news: We can do something about it. In fact, we've already made some progress in controlling the carbon pollution that threatens our climate and our planet. Last month's release of the 2012 greenhouse gas emissions report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency shows a 4.5 percent decrease in reported carbon pollution in the United States - to the lowest level seen in almost 20 years.

Second, a reality check: Although we've seen we can make progress, it's not happening fast enough yet to avoid truly catastrophic climate disruption.

Third, it's not too late. We still have excellent opportunities to reduce carbon pollution right now - both nationally and here in California. On Tuesday, you can tell the federal EPA here in San Francisco that it's time to seize one of the biggest of those opportunities.

The decline we've seen so far in carbon pollution is the result of two main factors: more fuel-efficient automobiles and a move away by the electric industry from coal-fired power. Even better auto fuel-efficiency standards are already on the books. Now, we need to start moving away from fossil-fueled power plants.

Until now, power plants have had carte blanche to dump unlimited amounts of carbon pollution into our atmosphere. Little wonder that they have been our nation's single largest source of that pollution. That's about to change in a major way.

The EPA has already begun to finalize the first-ever standards for carbon pollution from new power plants. The good news is that these standards for coal-fired power plants are strong enough to keep our energy sector on a path away from coal, which will mean lower carbon emissions nationally. The bad news is that the standards don't require any real reduction in carbon pollution from natural gas plants, which fuel more than half of electricity consumption in California.

Still, the new standards are an important step forward. Even more important, though, will be the forthcoming standards for existing power plants, which the EPA is expected to propose next year. The EPA is conducting listening sessions across the nation to get input from citizens as well as energy companies on what those standards should be.

Anyone who cares about the future of our planet, our nation and our state should consider attending to tell the EPA that we need strong and just carbon pollution standards that reduce carbon emissions across the board, for coal and gas alike.

The EPA needs to hear that curbing carbon pollution is needed for the health and safety of our families, and that we demand cleaner and more stable sources of energy.

Given the gridlock and political paralysis that plagues Congress, these carbon pollution standards, which are mandated by the Clean Air Act, are our best shot at speeding up the progress we've already attained in reducing carbon pollution and promoting clean energy instead of dirty fuels.

We need to reduce climate pollution regardless of whether it comes from burning coal, gas or oil. These protections will set the course for how we clean up and modernize the way we power our country for decades to come. Here is our chance to opt for a healthier future while creating jobs and fighting climate disruption. We cannot afford to squander it.

Be heard

What: The U.S. EPA is holding a listening session, one of 11 scheduled across the country, to hear ideas of how to curb pollution at existing power plants.